Lock for folding partitions



J. T. FAIRHURST.

LOCK FOR FOLDING PART ITIONS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.27| I919- 1 3 5 1 844 o Patented Sept 7, 1920.

.INVENTOR John 7: Faz rfiarsi ATTORNEY JOHN THOS. FAIRHURST, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

LOCK'FOR FOLDING PARTITIONS.

- Application filed December 27, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JoHN THos. FAIR- BURST, a subject of the King of England, residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Morris and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looks for Folding Partitions, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawlIl y invention relates to improvements in top guides for sections or units offolding partitions or walls, and more particularly has reference to means in combination therewith for insuring the proper folding of the said sections or units in the proper position.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated in Figure 1 in plan view, parts being broken away,.pa'rt of a sectional partition embodying an application of my invention. Fig. 2 is another plan view showing the sections or units in opened out position.

34'indicate the top guides or frame attached to the ceiling, and 567-8 the several sections or units' of the folding partition, the inner partition 5 being pivotally secured as indicated at 9 while the unit or section 6 is hinged thereto at 10 the same as the sections or units 7-8 are hinged at 11, the other sections or units such as 6 and 7 being hinged if desired. at the opposite ends.

Spaced apart upon the guides 3-4 are plates such as 12-13 for controlling the movement of the'top guide 14 which when the doors are folded as shown at the left of Fig. 2 extends transversely across the guides 3-4. in the cut away space 15, but when the Specification of Letters. Patent.

Patented Sept. '7, 1920.

Serial No. 347,855.

units or sections are to be extended in alincment as shown in Fig. 2 the one side of the top guide 14 engaged the corner 13' of the stop 13, thusretarding the movement of that end of the section until it and the adjoining section have come into alinement, the cut away portion 12' of the plate 12 permitting the top guide 14 to swing around as shown in dotted outlines, thus each combination of units or sections is prevented from traveling at once and buckling within the guide 34 and are obliged to fall into alinement successively and uniformly, thus insuring an easy and correct movement of the units or sections either in closing or openmg.

Of course it will be understood that various modifications may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

In combination with the top and guide of a foldingpartition, a guide member substantially parallel with a section of said partition and guide plates along the guide of said partition, one of said plates on one side of said partition guide being cut away at one corner and the other of said plates forming a shoulder to prevent the move-= ment of said top guide until said top guide has swung around through the opening in the other of said guide plates.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the resence of two witnesses. J 0H1? THOS. FAIRHURST. Witnesses:

ANNA F. DUFFY, DAVID H. DOUGLASS. 

